Protection of radio-exposed personnel

The process consists of the following steps:

• The Head of the Radioisotope Laboratory requests the Radiation Protection Expert to classify a new user, providing the person’s name, place and date of birth, duties, and the type and quantity of radioisotopes that will be used. The request is submitted by sending the job assignment form (MDL Form).
• The Radiation Protection Expert proposes the classification of the individual concerned and communicates it to the Head of the Radioisotope Laboratory, returning the completed and signed MDL Form.
• The Head of the Radioisotope Laboratory forwards the MDL Form to the Safety Office, together with the request for a preventive medical examination (Form M-P).
• Upon receiving the request from the Safety Office, the Authorised Physician carries out the medical examination and issues the fitness certificate, informing the Safety Office and the workers concerned. The latter then inform their respective Laboratory Managers.
• The Head of the Radioisotope Laboratory communicates the fitness certificate to the Radiation Protection Expert, who sets up the dosimetry records for the workers about to commence their activities.
• The worker attends a radiation protection training course organised by the Laboratory Manager, at the end of which a certificate of attendance is issued.
• Where applicable, the Head of the Radioisotope Laboratory assigns dosimeters to the classified user, completes the M-I Form and sends it, duly signed, to the Safety Office.
• The Radioisotope Laboratory Manager collects the dosimetry readings on a monthly basis and communicates them to the Radiation Protection Expert.
• Based on the dosimetry readings, the Radiation Protection Expert calculates the official dose values and communicates them at least every six months to the Authorised Physician, the Safety Office and the Head of the Radioisotope Laboratory.
• The Authorised Physician records the doses in each user’s personal health record and evaluates them during subsequent medical examinations in order to confirm or withdraw the worker’s fitness for work.

The suspension procedure consists of the following steps:

• The exposed worker promptly communicates the suspension of exposure to the Department Director or person in charge and to the Head of the Radioisotope Laboratory, indicating the date and reasons for the suspension (e.g. pregnancy, changes in laboratory activities, etc.).
• The Employer orders the immediate removal of the worker from supervised and controlled areas and notifies the worker, the Radiation Protection Expert and the Head of the Radioisotope Laboratory.
• The Employer also orders the immediate withdrawal of the access badge and dosimeter, informing the worker and the Head of the Radioisotope Laboratory.
• Through the Head of the Radioisotope Laboratory, the Employer completes the S-A Form and sends it, duly signed, to the Occupational Physician, the Radiation Protection Expert and the Safety Office.

Should the work assignment of classified personnel change, the following procedure applies:

• The Employer (Department Director or person in charge), through the Head of the Radioisotope Laboratory, completes the MDL Form and sends it to the Radiation Protection Expert for the new classification assessment.
• The Head of the Radioisotope Laboratory forwards the new classification (MDL Form completed and signed by the Radiation Protection Expert), together with the M-P Forms (in the case of personnel moving from Category B to Category A) and/or the M-C Forms (in the case of personnel moving from Category A/B to Category Non-Exposed), to the Safety Office.
• The subsequent steps shall follow the procedures described for the classification and/or suspension/termination of workers exposed to ionising radiation.

In the event of termination of exposure:

• The exposed worker (possibly through their Laboratory Manager) promptly notifies the Employer (Department Director or person in charge) and the Head of the Radioisotope Laboratory of the date and conditions of termination of exposure to the risk. In accordance with current legislation, it is important to distinguish between the cessation of exposure while maintaining employment and the complete termination of employment. In the latter case, the worker also completes the Notification of Termination of Activities Form (Form N-C). The original Form N-C, duly signed by the Facility Director, shall be promptly forwarded by the Head of the Radioisotope Laboratory to the Safety Office.
• The Employer (Department Director or person in charge) informs the Radiation Protection Expert, the Occupational Physician and the Safety Office of the name of the worker concerned and the reason for the termination of the activity. The Employer completes and sends the M-C Form to the Safety Office to request the final medical examination.
• The Head of the Radioisotope Laboratory sends the worker’s dosimetry record to the Radiation Protection Expert, together with the worker’s dosimetry data up to the date of the last exposure.
• The Radiation Protection Expert collects and processes the dosimetry data and promptly communicates them to the Safety Office and the Occupational Physician. In the event of termination of employment, the Radiation Protection Expert provides the Occupational Physician with the duly completed and closed dosimetry record, also through the Head of the Radioisotope Laboratory.
• The Occupational Physician carries out the final medical examination and forwards the relevant report to the Safety Office and the worker. Only in the event of termination of employment, the Occupational Physician sends the relevant documentation to the INAIL headquarters in Rome within six months from the date of termination of employment. A copy of the relevant documentation is also sent to the Employer.